Subjects
Environmental management -- Social aspects, Disaster Planning -- methods, Mass Casualty Incidents -- prevention & control
Abstract
Natural or manmade shocks and stresses affect communities in a variety of ways. One way that researchers have tried to isolate the conditions that lead to a thriving community in the face of disaster is the study of resilience. Resilience is the capacity of communities in complex socio-ecological systems to learn, cope, adapt, and transform in the face of shocks and stresses. A key part of resilience is the existence of good governance, which Mercy Corps has identified as a process of decision-making that is accountable, transparent, just, responsive and participatory. The pursuit of good governance can be a beneficial strategy, involving the building of both formal and informal institutions and relationships that are implemented at the state, community and individual levels. The purpose of this literature review is to identify the research that exists in a variety of fields that addresses good governance and resilience at these levels.
This literature review specifically focuses on the Sahel region of Africa. As such, particular attention has been paid to literature that either engages the Sahel region directly, or presents case studies and evidence that applies to similar circumstances. Thus, the reviewed literature also includes research that concerns a variety of developing, low-income countries that experience environmental stressors and shocks and which, in most cases, are also experiencing political transitions towards more liberalized and pluralistic politics.
The Sahel is a semi-arid biological and geographical multinational climatic transitional region, which demarcates the area between the Sudanian Savanna and the Sahara Desert. Among the nation states, which are partially contained within the Sahel region, are Mauritania, Sudan, South Sudan, Algeria, Burkina Faso, the Gambia, Senegal, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, Mali and Niger. Issues of pastoralist and nomadic migration are often in the forefront of discussion relating to the Sahel because of the nature of this region’s climate. Due to the potential negative impacts of global climate change in relation to certain aspects of interaction in the Sahel, analyses of socioeconomic and political stability in the region, are of importance to those in the field of international nongovernmental assistance and aid provision.
DOI
10.15760/anthos.2014.15
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Persistent Identifier
http://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/12592
Recommended Citation
Bedi, Nikki; Bishop, Madilynn; Hawkins, Ukiah; Miller, Olivia; Pedraza, Rodrigo; Preble, Anna; and Rico-Rairan, Angela
(2014)
"Linking Resilience and Good Governance: A Literature Review,"
Anthós:
Vol. 6:
Iss.
1, Article 3.
https://doi.org/10.15760/anthos.2014.15
